Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-08-04
JoNEsBoRo. TENN. AUG. A. 1887


At a meeting of the citizens OF Jones'
boro held at tho Court House last week,
a committee was appointed to confer
with the officers and projectors of the @.
C. 6 c. r, r. and bring TO their atten-
tion the route which crosses the L. T.
Va. & Ga. r. r. at this place.
The appointment Of a committee charg-
ed with such a duty. would. under ordi.
nary circumstances, have been wholly
unnecessary, because Il is fair to assume
that q company would carefully survey
and consider every possible route before
a final location was made, and would
select the route that offered the greatest
advantages in the,mattcr Of directness and
~chcapness Of construction.
Therefore. we conclude, that the Jones.
boro people thought they had reasons to
believe that an effort was being made by
certain interested parties, 10 suppress the
facts with reference to the Jonesboro
route, and TO keep the officials Of said
company in ignorance of what 1t Is un-
questionably to their interest to know.
Experience has taught East Tennessee.
ans that 1t is possible for a strong local
influence to defect a great trunk line
from its most practicable route. 1t is a
fact that a route could have been selected
for the L. T. g. Va. r. II. between Bulls
Gap and Bristol. other than the present
line, that would have shortened the dis.
lance and greatly lessened the grades.
The activity and influence Of promi.
nent citizens Of Jonesboro secured the
present location over a shorter and cheap.
or line and one that would have passed
through a much better agricultural Sec
ton.
II Is a fear Of repetition of this history
this time against the interests of Jones'
boro. that prompted the action of last
week.
A careful examination Of the topogra-
ply of upper East Tennessee and
Western North Carolina, viii convince
any one not prejudiced by real estate In
terests that the water gap made by Chucky
river. Is not only altogether feasible,
but Is by far the cheapest and at the same
time the most direct route through the
mountains.
In March 1888 this route was carefully
examined by a disinterested engineer,
whose competency has never been qucs.
toned, and he reported that q road could
be built following the course of the river,
Tor an amount per mile much below the
average cost of rail road construction In
mountain sections. and that 1t would be
free from heavy grades and OBJECTIONABLE
sharp curves.
Accepting his report as true, as 1t un.
questionably Is, It would seem to be III,
very essence Of madness that would inAu
sace any company 20 ignore this natural
roadway, hewn out by nature, especi
ally - II Hes IN direct line between certai
determined points Of their proposed road
IL they are influenced to r%epudiate TIL
route. their only alternative will be O
expensive tunnel through the Iron Moui
tain which can't fall far short ofa mile
length.
Once through this tunnel the way
open to johnson City and thence Nor,
to Moccasin Gap, but the route will n
cessitatc q second tunnel through Edel
Ridge and abound with trestles and hea,
grades. and will be several miles long
than the Chucky river route.
Ofcourse the road can be built alol
this route but one naturally asks VIII
Is the immense advantage that will
gained, and which, to offset the immen
expense, incurred In boring two tunne'
increasing the distance and overcomil
as far as possible the difficulties Of grad
II Is plain that the whole and sc
object of this DETECTION at such enormo
cost, Is that the road may pass Johns
City.
What Is the attraction there? Is II
point with such natural e%ndowments
would make It a suitable site for extensi
shops, large rolling mills or great man
featuring establishments Any one at
familiar with the water requirements 1
such enterprises will answer no. Isit thu
because at johnson City. the Cranber
ore can be reached. that all this, 9th,
wise unnecessary, expenditure, must
undertaken The answer again Is I
because from the Chucky river route I
very same ore Is reached by ~inexpensi
tramways not over six miles long, al
could therefore be put on the road al
much less cost Of transportation tn
would have TO be paid at Johnson Gu
The fact Is that when the gaseous al
wind clouds are penetrated or lifted
we can see clearly. 1t is very evident. I'll
the great and only attraction and indu'
ment is. that certain gentlemen ha
certain vested real estate interests. in ri
about johnson City which will be mate
ally affected, In a way not necessary
explain, by the course Of the new roI
The direct. cheapest and therefore I
only sensible route for the @. G. &C. r.
Is that which follows the river throu
the mountains to Erwin.
From this point the road can be bu
to Moccasln Gap, Va, by way Of eth
Johnson City or Jonesboro. NotAi
would be gained by going to Johns
City. while the advantages Of the JON
boro route may be summed up as follow
LIST. 1t will reduce the distance FIR,